And I saw, and, look! a white horse; and the one seated upon it had a bow; and a crown was given him, and he went forth conquering and to complete his conquest.

THE WHITE HORSE AND ITS RIDER

11-13. (a) What does the white horse picture, and what kind of person does its rider picture? (b) The rider there corresponds with what rider addressed by the psalmist, and to whom does Paul, at Hebrews 1:8, 9, apply those prophetic words?

¹¹ The white horse signified a royal mount, a bearer of royalty, a righteous and pure carrier, swift in movement like a literal horse. The rider of this speedy means of travel signified a newly installed king, for a royal crown was given him. He was a warrior king, for he was armed with a bow. Furthermore, he rode forth conquering, even down to the last opponent of his Kingdom to be put under him as conquered. It was to be a complete victory! In line with that, a long sword was given to him, a royal implement of warfare. Who, then, has been fulfilling this role in our own 20th century? Evidently the same one as the King who fulfills Psalm 45, where we read:

¹² “My heart has become astir with a goodly matter. I am saying: ‘My works are concerning a king.’ . . . Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one, with your dignity and your splendor. And in your splendor go on to success; ride in the cause of truth and humility and righteousness, and your right hand will instruct you in fear-inspiring things. Your arrows are sharp​—under you peoples keep falling—​in the heart of the enemies of the king. God is your throne to time indefinite, even forever; the scepter of your kingship is a scepter of uprightness. You have loved righteousness and you hate wickedness. That is why God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of exultation more than your partners.”​—Ps 45 Verses 1-7.

¹³ In Hebrews 1:8, 9 the apostle Paul quotes Psalm 45:6, 7 and applies the words to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Inescapably, then, the rider of the white horse who rides on victoriously must be Jesus Christ at his coronation in heaven at the close of the Gentile Times in 1914.

Completing His Conquest

19. What prophetic picture was Jesus thus enabled to fulfill in due time, and what kind of king has he been since?

¹⁹ Thus Jesus Christ was enabled to fulfill the prophetic picture of making his ride on the white horse, riding as a crowned king to complete conquest over all his enemies in heaven and on earth. (Revelation 6:1, 2) Since the end of “the appointed times of the nations” in the year 1914 C.E. he is a warrior King, armed as it were with a bow to pierce his foes from afar off. In reality, to this warrior King were addressed the prophetic words of Psalm 45:3-8:

20. What do the words addressed to him by the psalmist tell him to do?

²⁰ “Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one, with your dignity and your splendor. And in your splendor go on to success; ride in the cause of truth and humility and righteousness, and your right hand will instruct you in fear-inspiring things. Your arrows are sharp​—under you peoples keep falling—​in the heart of the enemies of the king. God is your throne to time indefinite, even forever; the scepter of your kingship is a scepter of uprightness. You have loved righteousness and you hate wickedness. That is why God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of exultation more than your partners. All your garments are myrrh and aloeswood and cassia; out from the grand ivory palace stringed instruments themselves have made you rejoice.”

21. (a) How can we be sure that the words of the psalmist apply to the glorified Jesus Christ? (b) How is the accuracy of his aim at his enemies emphasized at Psalm 45:5?

²¹ At Hebrews 1:8, 9 the apostle Paul quotes from the words of Psalm 45:3-8 and applies the quotation to Jesus Christ, to call attention to his now highly exalted position. This makes it certain that the “king” to whom “the sons of Korah” were inspired to address themselves was the duly installed King Jesus Christ. (See the superscription to Psalm 45 sup.) The arrows from his “bow” will be aimed at the heart of the opposers of his Kingdom with greater accuracy than that of the ancient Parthians, who were expert bowmen though mounted on horses.

22. (a) In what other part of Revelation is this rider on the white horse depicted, and under what name? (b) How are our eyes blessed to see what vision, and how do we respond to this sight?

²² The rider of the white horse described at Revelation 6:2 proves to be the same as the rider of the white horse portrayed at Revelation 19:11-16. In this latter reference his name is called “The Word of God,” and on his thigh he wears the title “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Here he is pictured as at the grand climax of his charge against his opponents, when he brings his ride to final victory at “the war of the great day of God the Almighty” on the battlefield of Har–Magedon, or Mountain of Megiddo. (Revelation 16:14-16; 19:17-21) Unseen to human eyes, there then comes the binding of Satan the Devil and his demons for a thousand years of confinement in an abyss. (Revelation 20:1-3) Blessed are our eyes to see by faith the ride of the crowned King on the “white horse” since the end of the Gentile Times in 1914. Thrilled to our very souls at his conquests so far, we cry out, ‘Ride on, you royal rider on the white horse, to your matchless victory at Har–Magedon, for the vindication of the universal sovereignty of Jehovah God, the Giver of this prophetic “sign.”’

2. In answer to the question as to what would be the sign of his presence and the conclusion of the system of things, what did Jesus say that finds correspondency in the vision of Revelation 6:1-8?

² The vision given to the apostle John, as set out at Revelation 6:1-8, prophetically shows what was to accompany the start of the ride of the “King of kings and Lord of lords” on the symbolic white horse toward the all-determining conflict at the battlefield of Har–Magedon.